Hill blasts astonishing century in first match

CRICKET: Glasgow Academy pupil Lyle Hill scored a magnificent 179 runs in the first cricket match of the season for the school’s first XI on Saturday. The innings by the player who was the Scotland under-17 captain last year lit up New Anniesland and helped the Academy to a 213-run victory over Lomond School from Helensburgh.

The fifth-year pupil scored the runs off just 80 balls, hitting nine fours and an amazing 17 sixes as he dominated during his side’s innings of 258 all out. Some of the sixes he hit were so big that the ball smashed off the clubhouse roof a couple of times and dislodged a slate. In reply the Academy fielded well to bowl Lomond out for 45.

Glasgow Academy’s master in charge of cricket Gregor Wood said: “It was a brilliant innings by a talented young cricketer. Hopefully Lyle can continue in that form.

“The way that he was hitting the ball he must have been seeing it like a basketball and the guys are all looking forward to the rest of the season now. They are working hard and have great heart, so we will see how things go.”

Meanwhile, Scotland cricket captain Gordon Drummond visited Dollar Academy last week and spoke to the first and second XIs.

A question and answer session allowed the pupils to ask him about a variety of different aspects of the game, ranging from individual player responsibilities to the mental focus necessary for success.

Jamie Frost, master in charge of cricket at Dollar, commented: “There is no doubt that the boys who attended the session will have been inspired by Gordon Drummond’s professional approach. He was able to provide a real insight into what it is like to play at the top level.

It was a real privilege for us to host Gordon and we’d like to thank him for his time spent with us.”

The Dollar Twenty20 tournament scheduled for last week was off due to rain and will be rearranged for later in the term.